WWF Monday Night RAW (August 8, 1994)

Original Airdate: August 8, 1994 (Taped August 1)

From Youngstown, Ohio; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Randy Savage.

Opening Match: The Undertaker v Butch Banks: This is still Ted DiBiase's fake Undertaker, played by Brian Lee, of course. Same as last time, with Lee running through Undertaker's trademark stuff, and hitting all the mannerisms before finishing the jobber at 3:07. With the SummerSlam match announced, this was a necessary evil. DUD

Leslie Nielsen provides an update on his investigation of the whereabouts of the real Undertaker

On Superstars over the weekend, Shawn Michaels invites Lex Luger onto the Heartbreak Hotel, but Lex resents Shawn's inquiries as to whether or not he sold out to Ted DiBiase. What?! How dare he! They're just two cats rapping, after all!

Cute RAW Girl Sign of the Week: That Wasn't Well Done. That Was RAW

Lex Luger v Chad Miller: DiBiase comes down before the match, to try and stand with Luger, but he chases him away. The camera crew catches up with him backstage as the match begins, however, and he promises that Luger has 'nothing to worry about.' Against the likes of CHAD MILLER?! Luger spends a lot of time armbarring for such a quickie squash before finishing with the Running Forearm Smash at 2:59. DUD

SummerSlam Report! I really think they should bring these back. I know they're passé, but they're such great, easy ways to hype a show, or announce stipulations/updates without having to do twenty minute in-ring segments. Like this week, where Todd Pettengill announces that Walter Peyton will be in Razor Ramon's corner against Diesel, following the events of last weeks match with Shawn Michaels. Boom

Bam Bam Bigelow and IRS v Tatanka and Doink: Man, we're seeing a lot of DiBiase this week. IRS starts with Tatanka, and quickly takes control with a turnbuckle smash and a backelbow for two. Cross corner charge misses, however, and Tatanka hiptosses him, then hits a dropkick. Tag to Doink for a 2^nd rope axehandle, and a bodyslam sets up an elbowdrop, but IRS rolls out of the way, and tags. Bigelow hustles in, but misses an enzuigiri, and Doink drops a pair of elbows for two. Wristlock, and he tags Tatanka back in to hit a flying tomahawk chop onto the arm. Bodypress gets two, and he adds a series of clotheslines for two, but gets dumped, and the heels cut the ring in half. Bigelow ends up colliding with him during a criss cross where they both try a bodypress, however, and Tatanka gets to Doink. He's a funhouse of fire, but walks into an enzuigiri from Bam Bam, and takes the Write Off from Irwin at 10:43. Afterwards, they beat down Tatanka, until Lex Luger makes the save. However, Tatanka sees him there, and assumes he came out to aid the Corporation, and they nearly come to blows. Hilarious moment in the background, as Tatanka throws a wad of cash into Luger's face, and DiBiase nearly legit breaks his neck tackling it before it bounces into the crowd. Just a basic, nothing tag team match here, as they put the Corporation over, ahead of what was supposed to be them snagging the tag titles at SummerSlam, as well as develop the Tatanka/Luger stuff ¾*

Jerry Lawler hosts the King's Court with guests Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart. They hype the cage match with Bret for SummerSlam, but Bruce Hart comes out after Owen claims that the rest of the family supports his cause - getting into an intense, authentic looking shouting match with Owen and Anvil. Very good segment, with Bruce doing a terrific job of getting the angle and motivations over

New Generation promo

Bob Backlund v Kevin Krueger: The New Generation, folks! Although, a big portion of Backlund's gimmick was that he was an out of touch, jaded old man who hated the New Generation. So it fits, as opposed to when they put Roddy Piper or Nikolai Volkoff out there, and try to get them over as part of the New Generation. Kevin is nervous about tying up with Bob, and tries to wrestle him on the mat, but Backlund outclasses him, and finishes with the Crossface Chickenwing at 3:53. Love this guy, and I was legitimately terrified of him as a kid. ¼*

Backstage, Lex Luger attempts to confront Ted DiBiase, but Tatanka walks in to the dressing room, and assumes Luger is with them again. Hmm, why was Tatanka walking into their dressing room, I wonder?

BUExperience: I guess it would have been foolish to expect it to be anywhere near the level of last weeks show. It picked up towards the end with the Hart Family stuff and Mr. Backlund, though.